So you use a debit card to buy gas?????

Using Debit Cards At Pump Can Be Costly -- Temporarily Debit Hold Can Be Much Higher Than Anticipated

GREENVILLE -- It can be quite a shock going to the gas station these days and dropping $50 or more on one tank of gas.
But what if you found out that by paying at the pump, that $50 tank of gas was really costing $150?
Many people know that gas stations will sometimes put an extra "hold" on your debit card at the pump until the money actually clears your account. But when the price of gas shot through the roof, it caused something else to happen that few people saw coming. Last weekend, Jerry Canady filled up his motorcycle at a Pumper's gas station using his Visa debit card. The bill was a little more than $12. But the next day, Canady discovered something wrong with his account
"I was looking online on my computer and noticed a $100 charge against my account from Pumper's. So, I figured it was just a mistake and be easy to clear up," he said.
But it was no mistake. The "hold" on his debit card was $100 -- not because of Pumper's, but because of Visa. When gas prices rose, and drivers needed more than $50 worth of gas at a time -- which was the limit for pay-at-the-pump transactions -- Pumper's raised that gas limit to $100. But the hold amount for Visa debit card transactions also went up from $1 to $100.
"A situation like what happened really, really does put a strain on us," Canady said.
Pumper's President Stephen Whitney said, "We were as surprised as anyone … we lowered the pump limit as soon as we found out." But it was not lowered before Canady filled up a second time, resulting in a second $100 hold."So I ended up with $200 worth of charges on my account," he said. The hold disappeared from Canady’s account in 24 hours, and he was charged
only for the gas he bought.
Because Pumper's has gone back to the $50 gas limit for pay-at-the-pump transactions, people with Visa debit cards don't get hit with a $100 hold. However, drivers who need more than $50 worth will have to do two separate transactions to fill up their tanks.
Consumer advocates say that oil companies often have their own hold amounts for debit transactions, ranging from $50 to $75, and the hold can last for as long as 72 hours. They point out that the best ways to avoid the holds are to pay with cash, use a credit card instead of debit card, or -- if you must use a debit card -- make sure you go inside to use your PIN –- PIN-based transactions are registered immediately. Some pay-at-pump machines also allow PIN-based transactions.

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